No Advertisements?

I don’t know how I never heard about this. For 2 reasons: 1. Working in the marketing/advertising field I try to stay informed about new developments and read way too many marketing related blogs. 2. I used to live in São Paulo and have dozens of friends there. Needless to say I love the idea of no outdoor advertisements. The worst part about driving on the freeway is the endless barrage of bad advertisements. Even the good ones become trite and annoying after seeing them 16,000 times during an already crappy commute.

It is difficult for me to comprehend. I have only known a world where advertising is more pervasive and more blatant. Obviously there are a few exceptions i.e. the latest Skittles campaigns… But to imagine a world with less and less outdoor advertising, where you are forced into subtlety (TiVo is already doing this to TV) makes me happy.

I also might be happy because I am listening to Cansei De Ser Sexy. If you speak Portuguese: Yes I am tired of it, but I still am.

This is what it looked like 10 years ago when I lived there:

And now: